Angels right-hander Shohei Ohtani won’t make his previously scheduled start this Sunday because of a blister, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. It’s an issue that has troubled Ohtani since the end of March, but the two-way standout was able to make his first start against the year on April 4, and he has been a regular in the Angels’ lineup at designated hitter.
Manager Joe Maddon said Friday that Ohtani can throw with a Band-Aid on, but he’ll need to do so without it before returning to the Angels’ rotation, via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Ohtani tossed 4 2/3 innings of three-run (one earned) ball with seven strikeouts, five walks and two hits allowed in his season debut on the mound.
His production on offense has been tremendous, as Ohtani entered Friday with a line of .280/.333/.600 (154 wRC+) with two home runs and a pair of stolen bases in 27 plate appearances. He smashed a three-run double in his second at-bat against Toronto on Friday and then followed with a solo shot in his next AB.
Here's more from around the league...
- The Rangers sent righty reliever Matt Bush to the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his pitching elbow, the team announced. He’ll undergo an MRI, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Bush has already undergone Tommy John surgery twice, so if he needs a third procedure, it could be a death blow to his career. The 35-year-old missed the previous two campaigns because of arm problems, and although he was able to work his way back to the Rangers’ bullpen this season, he yielded three earned runs in as many innings before going to the IL.
- Lefty Alex Wood’s debut with the Giants might not be far off, as manager Gabe Kapler suggested Friday the team could decide to activate him after his next outing at its alternate site, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Giants signed the oft-injured former Brave, Red and Dodger to a $3M guarantee in free agency, but back troubles have kept him off the mound since last month. He has been working back from an ablation procedure on his spine for the past few weeks.
- Minor League Baseball has suspended free-agent righty David Carpenter for one year for a violation of its Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Carpenter, 35, logged a 3.69 ERA with various teams in 214 2/3 innings and parts of six seasons from 2011-19. He hasn’t found a new club since the Reds released him last September.
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